On 10/23/2014 04:47 AM, Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 1:07 AM, Yasha Karant <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Is anyone running SL 7 on a Dell Latitude E6540?  My institution is
>> considering this unit over the equivalent HP unit, to replace the five year
>> old laptop that I currently use, because of the net lower cost of the Dell.
>> Dell claims that it will run Linux Ubuntu 12.04 -- but I do not know if this
>> enthusiast Ubuntu has more "secure boot", etc., capabilities than SL7x.
>>
>> Any information, on or off list, greatly would be appreciated.
>>
>> Yasha Karant
> I'm afraid I don't have one in hand myself. Have you considered
> burning a live CD or USB bootable image, visiting a computer store or
> someone in your IT group who has one, and taking a test drive with it
> with their permission? Laptop support for Linux can sometimes be
> tricky as vendors use slightly cheaper, newer chip sets that no one in
> th eLinux world has had a chance to test with, but I find that
> technique very useful to ensure basic bootability and X windows
> operation and peripheral operation.
Thank you for your suggestion.  Unfortunately, this Dell model that 
claims to be engineered and built to meet
FIPS 201-certified smart card and fingerprint readers and RSA SecurID 
along with a MIL-STD-810G-tested chassis typically
is not available in the local mass merchandiser computer laptop stores 
(Office Max, Staples, etc.).  When my wife's laptop was stolen and we 
had to replace it out of our personal budget (her department had no 
funds to buy a replacement Faculty laptop because the university is 
"self-insured" for many situations, including that one), I did take a 
SL6x bootable DVD and found a machine for which SL6x would boot and that 
had sound, 802.11 WNIC, video card, DVD drive, pointing device, etc., 
fully supported by SL (not requiring proprietary MS Win drivers).  The 
first several low priced laptops did *NOT* meet this criterion, but a 
Lenovo did.  Unfortunately, consumer (low price) Lenovo is of poor 
mechanical quality (hinges/chassis already fatigue fractured), and 
unlike Dell or HP, Lenovo refuses to supply the service manual and full 
parts list, nor will it sell parts.  Also, several stores would NOT let 
me do a DVD boot and run (not install) -- and thus i could not test 
which, if any, machines for sale would work.  i suppose if we buy the 
Dell and it does not work we could attempt to return it, or I could be 
forced to switch to Ubuntu (not appealing).